3. Poetical Works of Arthur, Iron Dook of Wellington including a Monody on Napoleon. 4. Eight books of an unfinished novel, _Solomon Crabb_. By Henry Fielding. 5. Stevenson's Moral Emblems. You also neglected to mention, as _per contra_, that they had during the same time accepted and triumphantly published Brown's _Handbook to Cricket_, _Jones's First French Reader_, and Robinson's _Picturesque Cheshire_, uniform with the same author's _Stately Homes of Salop_. O if that list could come true! How we would tear at _Solomon Crabb_! O what a bully, bully, bully business. Which would you read first--Shakespeare's autobiography, or his journals? What sport the monody on Napoleon would be--what wooden verse, what stucco ornament! I should read both the autobiography and the journals before I looked at one of the plays, beyond the names of them, which shows that Saintsbury was right, and I do care more for life than for poetry. No--I take it back. Do you know one of the tragedies--a Bible tragedy too--_David_--was written in his third period--much about the same time as Lear? The comedy, _April Rain_, is also a late work. _Beckett_ is a fine ranting piece, like _Richard II._, but very fine for the stage. Irving is to play it this autumn when I'm in town; the part rather suits him--but who is to play Henry--a tremendous creation, sir. Betterton in his private journal seems to have seen this piece; and he says distinctly that Henry is the best part in any play. "Though," he adds, "how it be with the ancient plays I know not. But in this I have ever feared to do ill, and indeed will not be persuaded to that undertaking." So says Betterton. _Rufus_ is not so good; I am not pleased with _Rufus_; plainly a _rifaccimento_ of some inferior work; but there are some damned fine lines. As for the purely satiric ill-minded _Abelard and Heloise_, another _Troilus, quoi!_ it is not pleasant, truly, but what strength, what verve, what knowledge of life, and the Canon! What a finished, humorous, rich picture is the Canon! Ah, there was nobody like Shakespeare. But what I like is the David and Absalom business: Absalom is so well felt--you love him as David did; David's speech is one roll of royal music from the first act to the fifth.